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he start of the discussion:Instagram has ruined photography as an art formby Kristianne DrakeThe app Instagram which allows everyone to post photographs on the internet for the world to see has ruined the art of photography. Now, everyone is a photographer. There are filters that allow the photograph to be transformed from not very good to mediocre imagery that is now celebrated worldwide.

DISCUSS!!!!!

My response:

Instagram is a photography app which allows people to share photographs, which they can edit themselves, with friends and followers . The image below reads

“Capture and Share the World’s Moments

Instagram is a fast, beautiful and fun way to share your life with friends and family.

Take a picture or video, choose a filter to transform its look and feel, then post to Instagram — it’s that easy. You can even share to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and more. It’s a new way to see the world.

Oh yeah, did we mention it’s free?”

Instagram Homepage

Instagram is trying its very best to convince people to download its app on the homepage, with links to download it, free. It allows amateurs to create images which appear professional and appealing, by letting you to add filters and effects to your own images before posting them online. The ‘advert’ has used a large font for the title to catch your interest saying “Capture and Share the World’s Moments”. Memories and moments are something which you like to remember and taking a photograph is the perfect way to remember them. By sharing them online, many people can view them and share that recollection with you.

The main text explains very briefly what the app does, making it seem simple therefore enticing you to create an account. The words “fast”, “beautiful” and “fun” are all highlighted in a bold font because instagram want you to notice those 3 words; they’re convincing and attractive. The power of three is often used in advertising to make something memorable and persuasive.

At the end they just happen to add that the app is free, as if you need one more reason to convince you to download it.

Instagram is one of my personal favourite apps. I have been using it for almost a year now. I find that not only is it a great way to share images with your friends, but also creates very aesthetic images. I take pictures just like any other teen would of their everyday life, from my food to the selfie, I document it all, especially being a photography student. It is also a great way of sharing your professional work. Even if you have taken it on a professional camera, you are still able to post it on Instagram.

Image by Tegan Upton

This photograph was taken on my Samsung Galaxy S III mini camera and edited with instagram. The phone had a very good quality and instagram was, as always, my editing tool. I have recently upgraded to an iPhone and have found the quality of the camera (both front and back cameras) is incredible. I can’t seem to stop taking photographs with it!

Image by Tegan Upton – after editing

Image by Tegan Upton – before editing

This is one of the first image I took using my iPhone (again editing on instagram). Ok, so the framing isn’t brilliant. But the quality of the photograph is incredibly good. I tend to keep my images fairly natural and just emphasise the colours a little. Upon looking at the images together, the edited one does look perhaps a bit over exaggerated, however when I view it on its own it appears more subtle. The filter has emphasised the sunlight shining onto the water and colours in the images, although made the sky slightly pink.

This is the opinion of one of my friends who I asked to tell me what they think about Instagram. They do have an account and post images to it, however not regularly. “It gives people the ability to create ‘aesthetic’ pictures to give the impression of them being good photos. There’s no composition, lighting, developmental skill. All it is is pictures of regular stuff with the natural lighting enhanced shadowing to create dreamy images. There’s no skill or art to them whatsoever.” Although I think he is totally right, I can’t help but want to strongly disagree with him, it gives people to create something beautiful, whether they’re naturally good at it or not.

Zach Sutton says in his article “Using Instagram in the Professional World”, “I think it gives people a cheap alternative to explore photography. It also gives a lot of people a chance to have their voice heard.” Why shouldn’t everyone be given the opportunity to take photographs which look professional? Photography is an expensive business and not everybody is going to be able to afford an expensive camera and editing software. Also, as I said before, it is a great way to share your work (getting your voice heard).

Nick Knights most recent Instagram posts

Nick Knight is a renowned professional photographer who uses his iPhone and Instagram to take images. He compares the iPhone camera to the Hasselblad, saying that it is just as good. Knight talks about how the iPhone and Instagram have given him freedom, as it is not a heavy piece of equipment which he has to lug around with him. “If the image works, then who cares how many pixels it has?”. I have to say I agree with him. Taking an image is about your creativity, feelings and emotions. A masterpiece isn’t always perfect, so why should an image have to be. After all, some of Jackson Pollock’s paintings look as if they could be done by a toddler.

Image my Nick Knight – Cara Delevingne using iPhone

Image by Nick Knight posted on Instagram

He has recently shot a campaign for Diesel with Nicola Formichetti, shot completely on iPhone and used image-manipulation apps to edit them. “It’s a campaign in the most modern guise… “Created purely for the digital community,” explains Formichetti, featuring non-models such as performance artist Mykki Blanco. Fitting then, that Knight chose to shoot the entire campaign using an iPhone and a couple of image-manipulation apps.” – says Laura Bradley in the article ” Nick Knight on the Changing Face of Fashion Photography.” The young generation are now getting information through digital mediums, so Knight believes that by using Instagram for the campaign, it is relevant in this new and exciting time. I love how Knight has chosen to make this change and I hope that he will continue to create his wonderful images using his iPhone, as I think they are just as good as using a Hasselblad.

Diesel Campaign by Nick Knight

Diesel Campaign by Nick Knight

Diesel Campaign by Nick Knight

Instagram is an app which I love and do not feel that it is threatening to professional photographers, as it is unlikely you will become a professional photographer though Instagram, with over 100 million users. It is a way which everyone can share their life and creativity. This quote from Knight explains this perfectly “I don’t have a Twitter account because it’s essentially about writing and my focus has always been visual. Instagram felt like the most appropriate way for me to communicate”.